Man accused of raping woman near river gives evidence at Norwich Crown Court

A man accused of throwing a woman into a river in Norwich before raping her twice said she told him she was “having him” after she fell in the water during an argument after they had consensual sex, a court heard.

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Adrian Olley, 29, of Woodbastwick Road, Blofield, is accused of raping the woman after she shared a taxi with him following a night out in Norwich.

Norwich Crown Court has heard the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, got out of the cab in Riverside Road after exchanges between her and Olley before being followed and raped.

Olley, who has denied two counts of rape and threats to kill on June 9 this year, took to the witness box to give evidence in the trial.

He told Michael Hubbard QC, defending, that they had been having an argument but then had consensual sex on the steps near to the river.

Mr Hubbard said: “Was she consenting?” Olley replied: “Yes.” The court heard after they had sex, the pair, who both have separate partners, started to argue again with Olley claiming he was thumped in the chest.

The defendant said the woman then fell over a wall on the stairs and tried to hit him with a brick. Olley said they were both “scuffling” before the woman fell over a barrier close to the river onto a ledge on the bank and flipped into the water.

Olley denied getting her in a bear hug and throwing her into the river and said he “jumped over the barrier” and got on his “hands and knees” to help get her out of the water.

He said there was no truth in the allegation he pulled her up by her hair or that he put his foot on her head while in the water.

Mr Hubbard QC said the woman “probably wasn’t best pleased with you” and asked what she said.

Olley said the woman called him names and said “I’m having you for this”, before they went their separate ways.

Earlier the jury, who were taken on a site visit to the scene near to the river, heard evidence from Dr Vlad Padlipskij, a forensic medical practitioner, who described a total of 45 injuries – including a lump on the back of the head as well as bruises and abrasions.